


The Things that Alec does

by sasuhina_gal



Category: Leverage
Genre: Cooking, Meeting the Parents, Multi, gift shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21798442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasuhina_gal/pseuds/sasuhina_gal
Summary: Hardison was the Leverage groups hacker, best one to ever be. But he's also a person who can make the most stoic of people blush, who notices the small things about people. He makes people want to do things.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer, Sophie Devereaux/Nathan Ford
Comments: 10
Kudos: 95
Collections: 2019 Leverage Secret Santa Exchange





	The Things that Alec does

**Author's Note:**

  * For [abrightgrayworld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/abrightgrayworld/gifts).



> So this is kinda a mix of being Hardison-centric, with things he kinda does, like make his SO nervous and want to do nice things for him and kinda a family fic. I'll be honest, haven't seen Leverage since they took it off Netflix so I don't know how well you'll think this is, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

This was kinda weird. Not in a bad way. Alec didn’t mind hanging around Sophie. Back when Nate was in jail and heck even farther back when Chaos went after Sophie, he realised just how much the group needed her around. If their group was a family – which they technically were but the ‘kids’ were dating each other, so maybe not the best analogy, unless Parker was the only child and him and Eliot being the boyfriends just got ‘adopted’ by them? - Sophie was the mother, the one who talked sense into them. Surprising seeing how she had been the reason behind their split after they took care of the insurance agency Nate once worked for. She could offer advice and was usually more than willing to give as good as she got. Not to mention the killer right hook she had. 

He still owed Eliot back for that one.

But even as much as his family, the group of 4 complete weirdos that Nate had brought together, he and Sophie didn’t really spend as much time together. Him and Nate, yeah usually in whatever computer room he could get. Him and Parker, not that bad. Him and Eliot, as long as he didn’t do anything that would make Eliot threaten him more than usual. Him and Sophie...other than jobs and the very few times they grabbed food for everyone, he couldn’t think of very many times they did hang out.

Which brought him back to now. They were at a Christmas Market not far from the pub. They had just finished a job taking down a corrupt ballet company, who was practically selling their dancers to ‘sponsors’ and keeping them from leaving with insane contracts. Their client flew all the way from Australia to help one of the dancer, an ex according to him, but as far as he knew, the two were on their way back to Australia reworking their relationship. Plus, no one came all the way across the world to help an ex, not with a look on his face he knew he got when thinking about Parker or Eliot or the one Nate got just looking at Sophie.

Parker was helping Eliot clean up anything they would of left back in their con and Nate was making sure the money they’d gotten from now ruined company was getting to all the dancer who had been with them to help them get started on the new chapters of their lives. Alec had finished all the digital trails and was planning on delving into his usual game play when Sophie dragged him out into the cold Boston air to this Christmas Market. Part of him was tempted to practise his lifting skills but it was also kinda nice to just pretend he was a normal person and not a hacker turned kinda good guy.

“Uh, Sophie, not to be rude or anything, but uhh, why are we here?”

Sophie looked a bit embarrassed. Not a usual sight to see but a welcome one none the less. “Well, see. Nate and I, we uhh...” Sophie sighed, “it’s coming up on the date we first meet each other and I don’t know, with everything we’ve been through, I wanted to get something.”

“Ok.” Alec wasn’t blind. He knew how much Sophie liked Nate and he was pretty sure something happened in San Lorenzo. “Why did you drag me out then?”

Sophie looked surprised he asked that. “Hardison, you’re one of the most observant people I know, which is saying something seeing how we both know Nate. You also know what people like rather well. I mean, the old French Cuisine book you got for Eliot?”

“Oh, well it was gonna go on the shelf of some rich guys mansion. Thought it could use a better home.” Alec said, trying to brush off what he did, getting the book he missed on auctioning sent to their place and a porn collection sent in place of the book.

“Like I didn’t see Eliot with his nose in that book all day. Plus dinner that night was delicious. You have a way of knowing just what a person wants.”

“But you know Nate?”

“Yes but I steal the things I want or spend an exuberant amount of money on it. He’s a simple person. You know most of the books he has in the apartment, he’s had since he was an insurance agent.”

“So your thinking more home-made?” Alec could see it. A simple home-made product that Nate would have on his person. It fit him. The fact that Sophie thought he had a better sense of taste than she did was something. “Why not tell him your real name?” He teased.

“Please, like I’d make it that easy for him.”

Apparently Sophie still hadn’t forgiven him for getting arrested. She didn’t know, or maybe she did because it was Sophie, just how invested Nate was into trying to guess. A whole document of the most popular names for around Sophie had to of been born was on his personal laptop. It had so been worth the scolding Nate gave him when he decided to go snooping.

They continued perusing the lanes, drawing close to some things that caught their interest but only for a moment. He enjoyed these moments of being normal. Sophie however was seeming to get more annoyed with not finding what she wanted.

“What do you even want for the man?”

“I don’t know! This is so hard. If he were always a thief, I could steal him a priceless painting or an old book. But he’s Nate. he’s normal. I can’t do normal. Couldn’t even do a normal relationship.”

“Ok easy little miss London. You don’t have to be normal to get Nate a gift. You know the dude better than anyone.”

“Then why is this so hard?”

“You’re overthinking it. It doesn't have to be anything big, it can be something simple. Like this, Eliot got back from a job before we did this last one. Do you know what he brought back for us?”

“I don’t know, a video game and a diamond?”

“No, though very good guess. He got Parker this stone that had a flower pressed into it, you know those paperweights?”

“Really?” Sophie looked surprised which was understandable. Parker wasn’t known for cutesy, flowery stuff.

“Said it reminded him of her. All sweetness in a hard to break shell, which is true. She threw it at the wall like 3 times.” That part didn’t seem to surprise Sophie.

“I guess Eliot was happy with that?”

“He was a little pouty but he knows it being taken very good care of. Now me, he got me this shadow box with a scene from Cinderella.”

“The fairy tale?”

“Nana would always read that for us if anyone had a hard day. So even when I had teachers telling me I’d never amount to nothing, it would all be made better by her sitting me down, still steaming and angry, thinking about what to dig up on the teacher that pissed me off and she’d read me the story. I don’t know how but just hearing it would make me feel a bit calmer, calm enough to where she could get me to talk about my day. I probably told him about it once when we were watching TV and the movie with my girl Brandy and the whole cast of people they had, like Whoopie and her Philippino son. He remembered anyway and got it for me. It’s kept safe in my stash of stuff to grab when we finally need to switch places. My point is, sometimes the simple things that have been said are the ones that mean the most to person.”

Sophie seemed to think, her steps slower as she processed what he said. Then her eyes brightened as she grabbed his arm. “Hardison, don’t let anyone tell you your not smart. This is another strand of proof that your the smartest person Nate knows.”

As she seemed to go darting off for a stand selling antique items, he called out to her, “He thinks I’m smart?”

“You think he’d let just anyone go rummaging through his computer? he’s done worse to interns he knew in Insurance. Here, help me pick one out.”

Sophie’s eyes were trained on a small tray of compasses. Nate had called Sophie his compass at one point or another so it worked perfectly. Alec’s eyes trained in reading code of computers at lightening speed worked as he took into consideration the compasses in his sight. It needed to be something Nate could carry easily, but also be something that was so completely him. His eyes trained on one particular one. It was a pocket watch style,with a sundial on the face of it. On one side of the sundial piece was an engraved ‘N’ and on the other side and an engraved ‘S’. cheesy, soppy, over the top. It was perfect.

Sophie thought so too. She pressed a firm kiss to Alec’s cheek.

“My perfect son. Amazing as always.”

He was pretty sure the vendor was still scratching their head about that one but it was worth it. Especially since he had yet to see Dad – he meant Nate – take it off. It made quite a few appearances in his covers.

* * *

Eliot scoffed at the weak muscle their mark left to watch over Nate. They had started figuring things out but it was too late. Forceful imprisonment was just another thing to be added their long list of crimes. Of course, part of him – aka a huge part of him – was worried. Their comms had stopped working all of a sudden. Parker had been saying something about going to Hardison before everything got cut off. He kicked the handle of the door, breaking it open and Nate came out with his phone in hand.

“Sophie says not to worry. Hardison and Parker are in her sights and safe. Seems the mark’s daughter was flirting and she went a bit possessive.

“The comms?” Eliot asked leading Nate away from the mess of bodies as they headed back to hall where the mark’s demise would start.

“Apparently Sophie saw her make an explicit gesture and Hardison turned them off himself. I’m sure they’ll be back up any moment.”

“God damn it Parker.” Eliot murmured under his breath, still loud enough for Nate to hear him.

“Like if tempted, you wouldn’t try the same thing.” Nate said.

Eliot didn’t bother responding to something that was true. He knew while Parker was more likely to do it, any reason to get Hardison flustered was something he’d easily join in to do so.

“Have things been alright?” Nate asked as they reached the ballroom where the mark’s downfall was in full swing. They decided to stick around just a little longer so the mark could see the people responsible for their downfall. “I’ve noticed you and Parker have been pretty quite recently, more than usual. Also Hardison has been looking pretty upset. What happened?”

He wasn’t surprised Nate noticed. He guessed he didn’t say anything earlier because they hadn’t let them distract them during the job. But now that everything was ending and they would only be a memory to their mark and heroes to their clients, nerves were starting to fill him. He didn’t say anything as he started to head for the valet to get Lucille. Nate didn’t push, knowing he had until the other joined them or Hardison turned the comms back on.

“Hardison wants us to meet Nana.”

Nana. Anyone who spent a good amount of time with Hardison knew how much this women meant to him. She raised him, with a firm hand and loving heart. She had been the reason that Hardison had hacked into many banks and bank accounts. Nana might not of been his mother by blood, but she raised Alec Hardison to be the kind, caring person he was today. She was his parent and it didn’t matter what type of person you were,  a man with a long kill sheet or a woman who likes to take things that are shiny or blow things up, meeting your significant other’s parents was terrifying. Closest thing Nate had ever gotten was when they went to London to deal with the knight obsessed worker for Damien Moreau and they met Sophie’s actual aunt. He never really met her face to face but he knew the nerves of meeting family. Archie was the closest thing Parker had to dad though he hadn’t really integrated her into his family and as far as he knew, Eliot didn’t really have a family. He liked to think they were his family.

“Must be terrifying.”

“Talks about her like she hangs the stars in the sky, course it’s terrifying. With us, we don’t usually come from happy families. But of course, Hardison’s different.”

“Not necessarily a bad thing. Just means you have to make more of an impression. Look, I’ve never met Nana, but I know this. The authorities guessed that she knew what her son was doing and would go to her to try and find him back when he first started out. they’d usually get a lot of slammed doors to the face but on the few times they brought her in, they couldn’t get a word out of her. She kept threatening them with reporting them for her not being at home to take care of the rest of her kids, as she’s got a lot of. She knows what Hardison does and I’m sure she tried talking him out of it but I can also guess that she’s the type of woman who only wants her kids to be happy and if breaking a few laws does that, well then, not much she can do other than tell him not to get caught. Besides, I have a feeling now that this is what he likes doing, and the fact that you and Parker have kept him safe, you don’t have much to worry about. Hardison wouldn’t want to introduce you to her if he didn’t think it was the best time. Just let him tell the person he cares about about the people he cares about the most.”

“ _ **Alright, we are back online. Mark is taken down, her very touchy daughter is now busy with police surrounding her mother and we are out of here.”**_ Hardison said as the comms were turned back on.

“Hardison, why don’t you, Parker and Eliot take Luciel and Sophie and I will head back to the bar to tie up lose ends.”

“ _ **Wait, really? Why the sudden offer?”**_

“I don’t know, just seems like a good day to go see the people you care about and all.”

Eliot glared at Nate from the corner of his eye but at the same time he was thankful. Nate was right, while terrifying, if Hardison wanted them to meet the most important person in his life, then he’d have to face it with the same courage of facing a room full of armed gun men.

* * *

It was a pretty calm week. They were lining up a few clients but nothing with dire needs yet, so the group was taking the time to just relax.

“Not like that Parker, you need to thinly slice the onion, not main it.”

Nate looked up from his online chess game – his opponent was pretty horrible, he was getting bored – to where Eliot had taken over his kitchen again, but this time Parker was in there with him. Parker survived on cereal and microwaveable meals, not counting whatever Eliot made for her. She wasn’t in the kitchen long enough except to bug Eliot for attention when cooking or cereal break, yet there she was, next to Eliot attempting to cut an onion.

“Ok, I’ve got to ask. What on earth are the two of you doing?” Sophie asked from her spot on the couch. “Parker, unless the kitchen was filled with diamonds, you won’t go near the place and Eliot, you hate having extra people in your sanctuary.

The two looked embarrassed, red covering their cheeks. Not a usual appearance with the two but Hardison could get that effect on them, not as often as they did to him but still.

“When we went to Nana’s place, she mentioned this dish she used to make but hasn’t been able to make it. She kinda described it as a curry dish. We _trying_ to remake it based on what she and Hardison told us it was.” Eliot explained. “It’d be going a lot smoother if someone could cut properly.”

Parker nudged Eliot hard in the side, the knife close to flying. Nate really hoped they didn’t get into their fights where Parker would try poking at Eliot as much as possible, he wasn’t in the mood to take anyone to the hospital.

“Ok, first let’s put those knives down before you two accidentally hurt the other person. Last thing we need blood and guilt.” Sophie ordered as she got up and approached the two. “I think it’s sweet what the two of you are doing for Hardison, but a little friendly advice, a romantic gesture goes better if the people involved actually work together. You don’t know how this thing taste or looks and you two know his tastes better than the rest of us so it’ll help to work together. Hardison is at his gaming convention and won’t be back for a while and you’ve got until the comms go back up at 6 to make this, so stop aruging over nothing really and help each other out.”

The two looked like scolded children. They murmured apologies to each other and calmly, Eliot explained to Parker how to cut the onions. Nate decided to throw them a rope.

“Durban curry.”

“What?” Eliot asked.

“Nana’s from South Africa correct? My guess is she made Durban style curry for the kids. The spices and such from can be pricey if they don’t carry it in the international section so it probably wasn’t made often if she likes sticking to the stuff she grew up on.”

“And how do you know that?” Sophie asked, looking like she already had a guess.

“What? I went after Hardison myself one or two times. Thought it would help to get information on her if she ever decided to sell him out, which we know she never would, so. Don’t just stand there, find a cook book. You’ve got until 6 before he figures out what your doing, so get going.” If he sent a link to a recipie to Eliot, he didn’t say anything. The look on Hardison’s face when he saw what his boyfriend and girlfriend had done had been enough to give warmth to the mind master’s heart. A simple kind deed to the group’s hacker was no problem.


End file.
